Vehicle-spring.



J. L. DOUGAN.

VEHICLE SPRING.

nrmouxox FILED $12214, 1914 Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

J h, WW J J OHN L. DOUG-AN, 0F PLANKINTON, SO'UEH DAKOTA.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .5 1915- Application filed September 4, 1914. Serial No.860,211.

Eh all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. DoUoAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in casing member and a plungermember. The

casing incloses a chamber having tapered walls and the plunger comprisesa head carrying a series of springs which bear against the tapered wallsof the chamber. One member of the device is connected with the axle ofthe vehicle or with some other part of the running gear and the othermember of the device is connected with the vehicle body, the arrangementbeing such that by. comparatively few parts the force of spring tensionand friction are so combined as to most eiliciently absorb shocks andvibrations, while at the same time giving a wide range of action andgreat flexibility.

My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing my invention embodied in avehicle spring designed to take the place of the ordinary leaf springcommonly employed in vehicles. Fig. 2 is a view on an enlarged scaleandin section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1but showing the device arranged to operate as a shock absorber. Fig. 4is a detail View in side elevation of the plunger. Fig. 5 is a detailview on an enlarged scale and in section showing a modified form ofplunger pro vided with devices for adjusting the spring tension.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a vehicle axle is indicated at A and aportion of the vehicle body at B. C indicates the casing member of thedevice and D the plunger. The casing incloses a chamber E which istapered from'its upper end downward, i. e., it is wider at the top. Itis attached to the axle axle A in the manner shown.

A by suitable devices (5 with a removable cover the plunger is attachcol end of the plan; r n nected with the ve eter of the head of is chamberat any part that of the carries a series a s1 re upper horizontalportions of .nch are firmly se cured to the hea be manner indicated inigs. l and 2. The depending vertical portlons of the spri against thewalls of the chamber considerable pressure. A cushim'i or butler l ispreferably seated at the bottom of the chamber and oil J is contained in"d chamberfor lubricating purposes. lvhen the vehicle body is depressed.the phi! ger is forced downward agaii th 5 vise tension of the springsand fric produced by the int against the taper and when the vol. movesupward in t the frictionnnd wcdgirthe spring tension,

In Fig. I have .he springs ha mber, plunger ber gra dually and an, wellas "been. in improvements embodied in a sh in this case the axle and vchf are designated by the letters A and B respectively, as before, and thecasing is indicated by the letter C. The casing chamber is lettered Eand this chamber, as before, tapers from its upper end downward. At thetop the chamber has a removable cover F which. is attached to thevehicle body. The casing is open at its lower end and the rod G isattached to the It will be observed that the essential differencebetween the two constructions is that when the device is employed asupporting spring for the vehicle, the plunger is attached to thevehicle body and the casing to the axle, whereas, when the device isused as a shock absorber the plunger is attached to the axle and thecasing to the vehicle body.

